Is UV emitted by LED lighting? Are LED black lights still useful? Do LED tanning bed lights exist? With the popularity of LED lights growing, many people are wondering how well-suited the cutting-edge technology will be for certain uses.
For LED, black light technology is simple. Any wavelength of light may be produced by an LED. Although the sweet spot for producing the best black light effect is thought to be a little lower, the majority of black light LED sources are in the 385–400nm region. The whole black light spectrum may be covered by a fixture or bulb with a peak at about 365nm.
Some people in the lighting industry claim that LEDs don't emit UV rays. However, research has proven that common LEDs do emit a tiny amount of UV. However, they really produce significantly less UV than that. This is because an LED lamp's phosphors, which turn ultraviolet radiation into white light, are to blame.
We are all aware that exposure to UV radiation causes sunburn and, in more extreme cases, can result in eye issues, skin cancer, immune system deterioration, and other difficulties. Fortunately, UV emissions from the majority of artificial light sources are insufficient to warrant any significant alarm. The UV that CFL bulbs emit is being investigated in addition to their mercury content. Even though CFLs don't emit a lot of UV, certain persons who are very sensitive to UV could be negatively impacted by it. People should maintain a distance of at least 30 cm from any source of light, according to Health Canada.
Color deterioration in UV emission is another issue. Due to UV emissions, CFL and HID bulbs have been known to harm shades, carpets, painted surfaces, and more. This has served as additional incentive for places like museums to upgrade to LED lighting.
What about bothersome insects that are drawn to particular lights? With LED, you could have missed this less. Insects of various types have been known to be drawn to UV radiation from light sources, but since LED emissions are so negligible, they do not have the same control on insects. Just a couple of applications that can profit from this are food-service and outdoor ones.
Given the low UV intensity of LED, it is understandable why LED tanning lamps are not readily available in the United States. Making them effective, long-lasting, and affordable is the problem, not so much that it cannot be done. Will commercial LED tanning beds ever be available? A short search on Alibaba will turn up a variety of LED tanning beds, but their price (and probably their quality) leave much to be desired. Never rule out LED, though; a few years ago, some of the things it is capable of would have been difficult to fathom.
